Design Folder Sustainable Design - Sewciety - Jane Doe (7DET8)

Criterion B: Developing Ideas 

 

B1: Design specifications 

The success criteria for your project 
 
The design specification is a measuring stick for success. You will use this when evaluating 
your design ideas, evaluating your chosen design and when reflecting on the quality of your 
finished product. The design specification also communicates your understanding of what is 
most crucially needed in your product.  
 
Tips for developing your design specification 
 
1. Use ​this example​ as a layout for your design specification. Be to the point. Keep your 
writing to a minimum. The slides can also be found h ​ ere​. 
2. The success criteria should be phrased in a way that does not unnecessarily restrict 
your design possibilities. On the contrary: ​It should make you think about 
possibilities. 
3. The success criteria should allow meaningful evaluation.  
 
Bad and better examples 
Bad  Better 

“The chair is a success if it is red.”  “The chair should have colours attractive to 
  toddlers.” 
   
- Restricts the design possibilities   - Does not restrict the colour of the design.  
(red only)   - Can be given an opinion.  
- Is a yes/no type of statement?  
 

“The table should be 80cm high.”  “The table should have a height that allows 
  all family members to comfortably1 eat 
- Restricts the design possibilities   dinner.​”  
(80cm - not 81cm or height adjustable)    
- Is a yes/no type of statement?   - Opens up to design ideas/possibilities 
- Can be given an opinion. 
 
   

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Possible qualifying adjectives for success criteria: Accurately, Adequately, Amply, Appropriately, 
Authentically, Believably, Clearly, Comfortably, Compellingly, Consistently, Convincingly, Credibly, 
Effectively, Ethically, Fairly, Reasonably, Sensibly, Significantly, Soundly, Sustainably. 

 
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Design Folder Sustainable Design - Sewciety - Jane Doe (7DET8)

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you come up with design 
specifications: 
 
● What would make the product a success for my client? Your answers are success 
criteria! 
● What would make the product a success for a wider group of end-users? Your 
answers are success criteria! 
● What would make the product as a whole a success? Your answers are success 
criteria! 
● What would make the different parts of the product a success? Your answers are 
success criteria! 
 
 
Use this template for developing your design specifications: 
 

#  My product is a  This is particularly  Some initial design ideas I have  Does it 
success if..  important for my project..  to achieve this are..  allow for 
an opinion? 

`  It can hold all the  It needs to hold all my items  Ideas to help me achieve this goal  Yes 
necessary items I intend  because when I go to ballet  would be to have some extra 
to put in my product.  class I need particular items  pockets for seperate items to be 
in order to successfully  stored. 
complete my practices.  

1  It can match my style  It will have to match my  Ideas to help me achieve this goal  yes 
and go with my outfits  style because it will make  are look at the style of clothes 
me want to wear it more. It  that i wear and then see what 
will just look better in  would  
general when I go out. 

2  It can hold all my things  It needs to hold all my  Ideas to help me achieve this goal  yes 
when i go to sports or  things so that i don't have  are make sure that i make my bag 
shopping or to a friends  to use so many bag i can  big enough and not so small by 
house  just put it into one bag and  using all the fabric i have. 
it will be easier 

3  It can be folded small so  If it can fold small i can  Ideas to help me achieve this goal  yes 
that i can take it with  bring it with me shopping  are make a smaller bag to put the 
me and it wont take up  and take it out when i have  bag in so that it can be tucked 
space  also of stuff that i need to  away when not in use. 
carry easily 

4  The bag is comfortable  This is necessary because i  Ideas to help me achieve this goal  yes 
so that i can hold it for a  might be going out for a  are make the straps of the bag 
long time  long time and if it's  more simple so that they are soft 
comfortable than i can  to cary 
easily take it around with 
me  

 
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Design Folder Sustainable Design - Sewciety - Jane Doe (7DET8)

5  The colours are going to  This would be good  Ideas to help me achieve this goal  yes 
be more neutral instead  because i like bags that go  are keep my colors simple and 
of bright so it goes with  with what i am wearing and  don't use too many bright colours. 
more things  not so much super bright 
and colourful bags so if it's 
more natural i will wear out 
more. 

6  The patten in the bag  This is so that if I am  Ideas to help me achieve this goal  yes 
will be basic and simple  wearing something with  are the fabric i use should be 
captions than the bag will  more basic and simple so that my 
not clash with what I am  bag is let bright and more simple. 
wearing and the bag won't 
stand out so much. 

 
   

 
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Design Folder Sustainable Design - Sewciety - Jane Doe (7DET8)

B1: Assessment 

Level  Descriptor  Typical features of student work 

0  The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below. 

1-2  The student ​states​ o

​ ne  ❏ The success criterion is generic. I.e. applicable to many projects. 
basic success criterion  ❏ The success criterion only covers a very small part of the 
for a solution.  product features that would lead to success. 
❏ The success criterion restricts design options unnecessarily. 
❏ The success criterion is a ‘checklist type’ statement. 

3-4  The student ​states​ a

​   ❏ The success criteria are generic. I.e. applicable to many projects. 
few​ success criteria for  ❏ The success criteria only cover part of the product features that 
the solution.  would lead to success. 
❏ A few success criteria restrict design options unnecessarily. 
❏ Some success criteria are ‘checklist type’ statements. 

5-6  The student ​develops a  ❏ Most success criteria are project-specific. 

few s​ uccess criteria for  ❏ The success criteria cover most features that would lead to 
the solution.  success. 
❏ Most success criteria are qualitative statements that allow an 
opinion and testing possibilities are considered 
❏ Most success criteria are concise and clearly phrased. 

7-8  The student ​develops​ ​a  ❏ The success criteria cover most or all features that would lead to 
list of​ s​ uccess criteria  success. 
for the solution.  ❏ All success criteria are concise and clearly phrased. 
❏ All success criteria are qualitative statements that allow an 
opinion. 
❏ The presented initial design ideas demonstrate in-depth 
research and empathy for the end-users.. 

 
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